Adapting a web-based eating disorder program for oral health training Abstract This application addresses broad Challenge Area (01): Behavior, Behavioral Change, and Prevention, and specific Challenge Topic, 01-DE-102: Behavioral and Social Intervention Research. Oral health is viewed as an early warning system of potential systemic and mental health issues, such as eating disorders. Dental professionals play a fundamental role in the secondary prevention (early detection, patient-specific oral treatment, and referral for care) of eating disorders as they are often the first health professionals to observe overt health effects. In spite of the dental professionals'key role in secondary prevention of eating disorders, current research indicates that few dentists and dental hygienists are practicing this important clinical responsibility. Although dental professionals believe they have an ethical obligation for secondary prevention, the lack of training in their respective educational preparation with regard to oral/physical signs of disordered eating behaviors, skill in patient approach/communication, behavior change strategies, and referral and patient education resources have all been identified as barriers to taking action. The overall goal of this project is to adapt a web-based training prototype to be tailored for use in dental and dental hygiene training programs which will increase the capacity among oral health providers for the delivery of eating disorder secondary prevention. In a pilot phase, we developed and pilot-tested an interactive theory-based prototype of the web-delivered training program entitled, "Eating Disorders &Oral Health: Training Program Dental Professionals" to teach oral health providers patient approach and behavior change strategies for this sensitive issue. In the current study, we will adapt the prototype web program to tailor it for use in dental and dental hygiene academic training programs. We will evaluate the adapted program using the RE-AIM evaluation framework via a group- randomized controlled trial involving 30 oral health classes. Results will be used to develop a final version of the training program. Additionally, we will begin preparation of a larger proposal involving a dissemination study of the web-based training program on secondary prevention of eating disorders tailored for use within dental and dental hygiene training programs. We believe this unique and timely behavioral intervention study implemented by a skilled project team will: a) stimulate economic growth via a public/private research and technology collaboration in which a large staff will be employed to carry out the research and several hundred participants will be involved;and b) facilitate the translation of oral/systemic health research to practice by adapting a web-based training program for use academic use aimed at increasing the capacity among oral health providers to deliver eating disorder-specific secondary prevention. Adapting a web-based eating disorder program for oral health training PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Dental professionals play a fundamental role in the secondary prevention (early detection, patient-specific oral treatment, and referral for care) of eating disorders as they are often the first health professionals to observe overt health effects. We plan to adapt a prototype of a web-based training program on secondary prevention of eating disorders for use in dental and dental hygiene academic training programs that will be evaluated in a group-randomized controlled trial involving 30 oral health classes. This training program will, increase the capacity for the delivery of eating disorder-specific secondary prevention among oral health providers, and ultimately increase the rates of treatment for people with eating disorders.